Friday Night Lights: ''Black Eyes & Broken Hearts''Review

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Smash's boycott causes more fallout, while a trip to a strip club ends badly for Tyra, Julie, Matt and Landry.

By Eric Goldman

A lot was on the line as Friday Night Lights picked up this week. With the next playoff game coming up, the decision by Smash and the other black members of the Panthers to boycott the team due to Mac's racially charged statements couldn't have come at a worse time, as far the Panthers chances of winning were concerned.

The episode did a very good job of showing what a conundrum this situation put Coach Taylor in, as the man tried to gauge all of the factors in order to do what he felt was ultimately right. With Buddy and the booster club pushing for Mac's termination, in order to get the boycotting players back, Eric went to see Tami for advice, in a terrific scene that had him asking for her opinion as a guidance counselor, his wife and finally, his friend. Tami was her wonderfully level headed self about this, making sure Eric didn't forget the weight of the nasty statements Mac had made.

However, Eric still couldn't decide what to do, and things changed again when an earnest Mac came to see him, and told him he was quitting for the good of the team. Mac's revelations about his family - his father was staunchly against school integration - were fascinating, though the portrayal of someone as self-aware about their racial biases as Mac felt a little forced. However, Eric's final decision, to stand by Mac and refuse to fire him or accept his resignation, was believable. Even if you don't agree with Coach Taylor's decision to support Mac after what he said, the fact that the coach would hold onto his resolve, no matter the cost, was utterly in character.

Kyle Chandler as Coach Eric Taylor

Landry had some classic moments this week, delivering great comic relief. From his newly formed crush on Tyra of all people (Landry; that girl would destroy you!), to his reaction to being in the strip club where Tyra's sister worked, he was hysterical throughout. Less hysterical was Julie, Matt, Tyra and Landry all getting locked in a juvenile holding cell, after being busted at the strip club. That comment above about Tami being level headed? Well, she's perhaps a little less so when it comes to her daughter, as she lashed out at Julie and ordered her to stop hanging out with Tyra, and tore into Eric for not speaking up too.

The resolution to the boycott story wasn't completely satisfying. It was certainly interesting to have Smash's mother be the one to tell him to go back and play in that Friday's game, insisting he not jeopardize his entire future in order to try to teach a lesson to "a bunch of fools." But it felt wrong to have her proclamation that the other black players would also return if Smash did, because he was a leader, be so correct that we simply jumped to them all showing up as the bus got ready to go to the game. We really don't know those other players well at all, and it would have been nice to see at least someone show some conflict and wariness to return too.

That being said, the final act of the episode was gripping. The Panthers found themselves in a very ugly situation, as their opponents played dirty, complete with a local ref who was looking the other way the entire time. Smash was clearly their target, as he was fouled time and again, with no consequences. Coach Taylor told him to keep playing his own game, and he took it to heart, but when one of the other players dared to actually call him tar baby, it was Tim who'd heard enough, running forward and starting a huge brawl between the teams. Tim and Smash are hardly best buddies at this point, but having Tim tell Smash he was a leader earlier in the episode, coupled with his primal reaction when he heard Smash slurred in such a way, was a wonderful testament to the bond these guys have, underneath it all.

Ultimately, an athletic commissioner called the game, and the Panthers were given the win. But showing how important these local games are for towns besides Dillon, a cop pulled over the team's bus, and tried to take Smash in, saying he'd been identified as the one who started the fight. It was a riveting scene, which culminated in Mac redeeming himself, at least to a small degree, by standing up to the cop and demanding a warrant he knew didn't exist. The cop's final words, "We'll get you next year, Coach," couldn't have been more ominous, and added a sad and dangerous aura to the proceedings.

Fortunately, Matt and Julie were there to deliver a far more upbeat ending, as he gave her a necklace and asked her to officially be his girlfriend. Yes folks, it was another, genuine, "Aww" moment for this (thankfully reconciled!) couple.